Starting and stopping mechanism for looms.



A. E. RHOADES. v STARTING AND STOPPING MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.APPLIOATIOKIILBD M119, 1903.

904,450. Patented Nov. 17, 1908.

Z''ZrceasesQ 2 A w M UNITED STATES PATENT orieion ALONZO E. RHOADES, OFHOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO DRAPER COMPANY, OF HOPEDALE,MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

STARTING AND STOPPING MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 19, 1908.

Patented Nov. 17, 1908.

Serial No. 433,704.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALoNzo E. Rnoxons, a citizen of the United States,and resident of Hopedale, county of WVorcester, State of Massachusetts,have invented an Improvement in Starting and Stopping Mechanism forLooms, of which the following description, in connection with theaccompanying drawing, is a specification, like letters on the drawingrepresenting like parts.

This invention relates to mechanism for starting and stopping theoperation of a loom, and it has for its particular object theimprovement of certain details of construction in the apparatus formingthe subjectmatter of United States Patent No. 867934, granted to G. B.Ambler, October 8, 1907. In the apparatus therein shown the powershifting device is a friction clutch, one member of which is fast on thedriving shaft while the other member is loose on said shaft and movabletoward and from the fast member. The hub of the loose member isannularly grooved to receive a follower fix edly secured to theyoke-like portion of a laterally movable lever provided with asleeve-hub fulcrumed on a fixed, vertical pivot-pin, and the arms of theyoke-like portion are slotted to receive loosely opposite radial studson a collar slidably mounted on the driving shaft. Setting of the clutchis effected by movement of the collar against the adjacent face of thehub of the loose member of the clutch, and its release is effected bythe action of the follower in the groove of said hub.

It has been found in practice that sometimes when the clutch is set thestuds on the collar act upon the slotted yoke-arms in such manner as toslightly twist or turn the follower so that it bears on the side of theannular groove in the hub of the loose member of the clutch, thefriction thereby generated heating the adjacent parts and a considerableportion of the laterally movable clutchcontrolling lever, this heatingand the unnecessary wear being objectionable.

In my present invention 1 have obviated any tendency to generatefriction and heat by mounting the upright pivot-pin of the yoke-likeportion of the controlling lever on a fixed fulcrum at right angles tothe pivot-pin, said fulcrum lying in the plane of the path of movementof the lever. By this construction the yoke-like portion is enabled toadapt itself to slight irregularities, so that if there is any tendencyof the slotted yoke-arms to bind on the studs of the sliding collar theyoke can rock slightly on the fixed fulcrum, thereby relieving suchbinding and obviating friction and the attendant wear and heating.

The novel features of my invention will be fully described in thesubjoined specification and particularly pointed out in the followingclaims, and inasmuch as I have illustrated my invention in connectionwith the Ambler patented structure referred to only so much of thelatter will be specifically described as may be necessary to a clearunderstanding of my improvement.

Figure 1 is a left hand side elevation of the starting and stoppingmechanism of a loom with my invention applied thereto, the parts beingshown in the position assumed when the loom is running; Fig. 2 is a topplan view of the portion of the mechanism embodying my presentinvention.

The breast-beam 2, main drivin -shaft 3, crank-shaft 4, the fast member7 o the friction clutch fixedly secured on the driving shaft 3, thecooperating member 8 loosely mounted on said shaft and movable towardand from the fast member, the latter having a suitable facing 9 ofleather or other suitable material, Fig. 2, the hub 8 of the loosemember 8 (shown as a belt pulley) having an annular groove 12, thefollower 13 traveling therein and fixedly secured to the yokelikeportion 14. of the laterally movable clutch-controlling lever 15, andthe sleevehub 16 of said yoke-like portion 14 are and may be allsubstantially as in said Ambler patent. So, too, the yoke-arms areslotted at 19 to receive loosely opposite studs 20 extended radiallyfrom the collar 21 slidably mounted on the shaft 3 adjacent the hub 8 ofthe loose clutch member 8, as in said patent, lateral swinging movementof the lever 15 on its fulcrum (to be described) in one direction actingthrough the abutting faces of the collar and hub to set the clutch,release thereof being efiected by action of the follower 13 in thegroove 12 of the hub when the lever is swung in the opposite direction.

The swinging movement of the clutchcontrolling lever 15 is efiected inthe same manner as in the Ambler patent, and by the same mechanism, andas the same forms no part of my present invention, needs no furtherdescription herein further than to state that the free end of the leveris loosely con- 5 nected with a stud 28 on a sleeve 29 movable at rightangles to and toward and from the loom-side on the fixedly-supportedbearing-rod 24.

In accordance with my present invention the sleeve-hub 16 is fulcrumedon an upright pin 30. at right angles to the path of movement of thelever 15, the upper and lower ends of said pin being fixedly held in abifurcated carrier 31 having extended from it at right angles to saidpin a fulcrum stud 32 which is rotatively mounted in an elongatedbearing 33 forming part of a bracket 34, Fig. 1, fixedly secured on thepart 22 of the framing, the sleeve-hub 16 being 20 positioned betweenthe upper and lower ends of the carrier. The carrier 31 is thus mountedto rock slightly about a fulcrum, as 32, which by reference to Fig. 1will be seen to be in the plane of the path of movement of the lever 15,and hence the yoke l t and its pivot-pin can also rock on the samefulcrum, while the operative swinging movement of said lever is effectedabout the pivot-pin 30 as a fulcrum. In order to clear 30 the carrierand its bearing 33 I have bent the lever 15 and connected it with theside of the yoke-portion 14, as at 15*, best shown in Fig. 2.

In the ordinary operation of the mechan- 35 ism the lateral orclutch-controlling swing of the lever 15 is effected about the pin 30 asa fulcrum just as if said pin were rigidly fixed in one position, as inthe Ambler patented structure, but if at such time the follower 13should tend to bear hard on the side of the annular groove 12, due tobinding or improper action between the studs 20 and the slottedyokearms, then the lever 15,

yoke 14, pin 30 and its carrier 31 all have a slight angular movementupon the fulcrum 32 to relieve the binding. This relieving movement ofthe parts is very slight and in no way interferes with the properoperation of the clutch or the clutch-controlling lever.

For convenience the pivot-pin 30 may be termed the main fulcrum for andabout which the controlling lever swings in its clutch-operatingmovement, while the stud 32 may be termed an auxiliary or relievingfulcrum, permitting the parts to move slightly about such fulcrum torelieve undue pressure or binding.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Let- 6O ters Patent is 1. In a loom, a driving shaft, fast andloose clutch members mounted thereon, a clutch-controlling lever, a mainfulcrum for and about which said lever is adapted to auxiliary fulcrumabout which said lever may rock slightly to prevent'binding in itsconnection with the clutch.

2. In a loom, a driving shaft, fast and loose clutch members mountedthereon, a clutch-controlling lever, a main fulcrum for and about whichsaid lever is adapted to swing to set or release the clutch, a carrierfor said fulcrum, and a pivotal support for the carrier at right anglesto the main fulcrum, said pivotal support serving as an auxiliaryfulcrum about which the controh ling lever may at times rock slightly.

3. In a loom, in combination, a powershifting clutch, a controllingmember therefor, a main fulcrum for said member located at right anglesto its clutch-operating path of movement, and an auxiliary fulcrum aboutwhich both said member and the main fulcrum may rock to prevent binding.

1. In a loom, in combination, a powershifting clutch, a controllingmember therefor, a main fulcrum for said member located at right anglesto its clutch-operating path of movement, and an auxiliary fulcrum atright angles to the main fulcrum and in the plane of the operative pathof movement of said controlling member, whereby the said member may rockslightly on the auxiliary fulcrum at various points in its swinging pathabout the main fulcrum.

5. In a loom, in combination, a powershifting clutch, a controllingmember therefor, one member of the clutch having an annular groove, afollower traveling therein and fixedly mounted on the controllingmember, and main and auxiliary fulcra for said member and located atright angles to each other, the clutch operating movement of thecontrolling member being effected about the main fulcrum, the auxiliaryfulcrum permitting the controlling member to rock thereon to relievebinding between the follower and the annularly-grooved member of theclutch.

6. In a loom, a driving shaft, a clutch member fast thereon, acooperating member loosely mounted on the shaft and slidable toward andfrom the fast member, said loose member having an annularly grooved hub,a cotiperating follower, a clutch-controlling lever having a yoke-likeportion on which the follower is rigidly secured, a clutchsetting collarloosely connected with the yoke-like portion, and a main fulcrum aboutwhich the lever is adapted to swing to set or release the clutch,combined with a carrier for the fulcrum, having a stud at right anglesthereto, and a fixed bearing in which the stud may turn, said studacting as an auxiliary fulcrum to relieve binding between theyoke-portion of the lever and the clutch or clutch-setting collar.

7. In a loom, in combination, a powerswing to set or release the clutch,and an shifting clutch, a controlling lever therefor having a sleeve-hubat right angles to its l crum for the controlling lever and its main 10operating path of movement, a main fulfulcrum.

crum pin extended through the hub, a bifur- In testimony whereof, I havesigned my cated carrier to which the ends of said pin name to thisspecification, in the presence of are attached, a stud rigidly extendedfrom two subscribing Witnesses.

the carrier in the plane of the operating path ALONZO E. RHOADES. ofmovement of said lever, and a fixed bear- Witnesses: ing for and inwhich the stud is mounted to EDWARD DANA Oseoon,

rock, said stud serving as an auxiliary ful- ALBERT W. EDWARDS.

